A ridiculous bill targets San Diego’s SeaWorld

The idea that a responsible member of the state Assembly would propose serious legislation attacking the operation of one company on the basis of a disputed movie is almost beyond belief. But that is what Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, has done with his proposal to prohibit SeaWorld in San Diego from using orcas in its shows.

Bloom said he was moved to introduce his bill by the movie “Blackfish,” which purports to be a documentary about how SeaWorld treats its killer whales and fails to adequately protect whale trainers. He said orcas “are much too large and far too intelligent to be confined in small, concrete tanks for their entire lives.” And Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, said she would likely support the legislation because it would start a public conversation about how SeaWorld treats all its workers, including groundskeepers and concession workers.

This is nonsense.

There may be legitimate questions about whether orcas should be kept in captivity. But Bloom’s legislation would not free a single whale. It would, among other provisions, merely bar SeaWorld from using orcas in the “Shamu” shows that 4.4 million people a year pay to see. SeaWorld trainers are already prevented by court order from getting in the water with the whales. And the bill has nothing to do with groundskeepers or concession workers.